Just a Useful Pawn in the Stain Sect

Chapter 496: Inheritance of the Flame

「In No Heaven, above the endless Cloud Sea.」

Mu Changsheng looked bewildered. He remembered using up the Myriad-Soul Banner when he created No Heaven, didn’t he? How could there still be a Banner Spirit?

’No, that’s not right. This isn’t a pure Banner Spirit... A living person entered the banner? And not only that, the Banner Master even went so far as to reconstruct a body for them and grant them freedom. What kind of Banner Master is this benevolent? My inheritance should have landed in the Jiangbei Demon Sect. How could a good person possibly appear in a Demon Sect...?’

For a moment, Mu Changsheng’s thoughts raced.

As the previous master of the Myriad-Soul Banner, he had studied Banner Spirits in exhaustive depth, which was why he could spot Progenitor Tingyou’s unusual condition at a single glance.

But that was the extent of it.

Although he could tell that Progenitor Tingyou had once been a Banner Spirit, he failed to see that even now, Progenitor Tingyou remained under Lü Yang’s control.

For this was the domain of the Centome.

The Banner Spirits in Lü Yang’s possession had all been completely transformed after being refined by the Centome, making them fundamentally different from the Banner Spirits Mu Changsheng knew.

However, this didn’t stop Mu Changsheng from thinking highly of Progenitor Tingyou.

’A Banner Spirit is perfect!’

’Having been a Banner Spirit, he must have come into close contact with No Heaven. His chances of successfully claiming No Heaven should be higher.’

The next moment, he looked toward Minor Metal, a hint of amazement in his eyes. ’This one is also extraordinary... a reincarnated Immortal Spirit with boundless Fortune, not to mention a solid Dao Heart and talent. If I were to entrust No Heaven to him, there would also be a high chance of success.’

At this thought, Mu Changsheng found himself in a difficult position.

Who should he choose?

Just then, Progenitor Tingyou suddenly spoke up. "You know, I’ve actually been studying your No Heaven in private for a very long time, Fellow Daoist."

"...Oh?"

Hearing this, Mu Changsheng immediately looked up and chuckled. "Interesting. In that case, what do you think of my No Heaven, Fellow Daoist?"

Mu Changsheng’s words sounded humble.

But in reality, asking such a question was a form of boasting. After all, not just anyone could cultivate an Outer Dao Fruit Position from nothing as he had.

However, in the next instant, Progenitor Tingyou simply shook his head.

"If judged by the standards of a common person, your No Heaven is a world-shaking masterpiece. But from my perspective, I can only say you need more practice."

Mu Changsheng: "..."

As his words fell, Mu Changsheng’s smile remained, but an icy chill had crept into his eyes. "Then what areas do you believe need improvement, Fellow Daoist?"

His tone was dripping with sarcasm.

Who would have thought that Progenitor Tingyou, upon hearing this, would reply with a solemn expression, "Putting other things aside for now, the Illusion Realms here have significant room for improvement."

"I’ve observed the trials in this place. They are all based on your experiences alone. While thrilling, they become rather monotonous after a while. You probably didn’t create No Heaven to seek the Dao, but rather to deal with the world’s Perfected Lords. In essence, you treated it as a weapon."

At this, Progenitor Tingyou shook his head.

"In my opinion, you have wasted such a magnificent Fruit Position. If nurtured patiently, this Dao Fruit’s potential would be no less than that of an orthodox one."

Mu Changsheng fell silent for a moment upon hearing this.

Progenitor Tingyou was right. No Heaven was merely a weapon he had created to restrain the world’s Perfected Lords, not the foundation he planned to use to seek the Dao.

However, Mu Changsheng scoffed at the potential Progenitor Tingyou mentioned.

"Orthodox Fruits originate from the Heavenly God. How could a mere Outer Dao compare? Though your talent is exceptional, Fellow Daoist, you are ultimately seeing but a single leaf and not the whole forest, speaking nonsense."

"Perhaps."

Progenitor Tingyou was noncommittal. He simply surveyed his surroundings once more, his eyes shining with a splendid light as if countless streams of Spirit Light were flickering within them.

During the half-year that Lü Yang was in secluded cultivation, he hadn’t been idle either. Besides mastering the No Heaven Ability, he had also taken the time to make a trip to the Skull Mountains and retrieve the Divine Soul Fragment he had "lost" in the Wu Ghost Secret Realm. This had caused his Enlightenment to take another qualitative leap.

The next moment, Progenitor Tingyou chuckled softly.

"If you entrust No Heaven to me, Fellow Daoist, I am confident I can make it lock down the world’s Perfected Lords for a longer period, and the lockdown will be significantly stronger as well."

At these words, Mu Changsheng was stunned.

’What kind of joke is this?!’

No Heaven was his life’s work. Especially regarding its function of locking down the world’s Perfected Lords, he believed he had already achieved a state of near-perfection.

Sixty years was the absolute limit.

Although if a Perfected Lord was willing to pay the price and burn their Grotto Heaven, they might break the seal in thirty years, this was still an incredible achievement.

After all, No Heaven was just an Outer Dao Fruit Position!

To accomplish such a feat with an Outer Dao Fruit Position was already outrageously impressive... and yet, Progenitor Tingyou was now claiming there was room for improvement?

But Mu Changsheng quickly regained his composure.

He didn’t get angry. Instead, with unprecedented solemnity, he bowed deeply to Progenitor Tingyou and said, "I ask that you enlighten me, Fellow Daoist."

"You’re too kind, Fellow Daoist."

Progenitor Tingyou returned the bow, then passed over a stream of Divine Sense. Mu Changsheng reviewed it carefully, letting out a deep breath of Muddy Qi only after a long moment.

Seeing this, Minor Metal, who had been silent all this time, suddenly sighed.

’It seems my choice has been made for me.’

Mu Changsheng’s reaction said it all. It was now a foregone conclusion that Progenitor Tingyou would claim No Heaven. The outcome was irreversible, leaving no room for him to interfere.

"Fellow Daoist Minor Metal."

Just then, Progenitor Tingyou suddenly turned to Minor Metal and said earnestly, "The... lord I serve is actually a kind-hearted and good person."

"You need not worry too much, Fellow Daoist."

"In time, as long as you cooperate fully, the position of the Fruit of Lamp-Cover Fire will be yours and yours alone. For you, acting now would only lead to more mistakes."

Minor Metal frowned slightly at his words, then shook his head.

"Thank you for the advice, Fellow Daoist. I will consider it carefully... but this is my path, and I am the only one who can walk it. I will not entrust my fate and my life to another."

With that, Minor Metal turned to Mu Changsheng.

"Fellow Primal Daoist, I wish to make a deal with you."

"...Very well."

Mu Changsheng nodded. The Cloud Sea surged, concealing the two of them. A moment later, Mu Changsheng emerged alone. Minor Metal had already vanished.

"He got what he wanted and has already left."

Mu Changsheng said flatly, "Your talent is astounding, Fellow Daoist. You saw through much without any explanation from me. That being the case, I won’t waste any more words."

The next moment, a light appeared in his palm.

The light gathered, forming into what looked like a Dan Pill. It was inscribed with infinite Script, appearing illusory and Piaomiao as the surrounding Cloud Sea churned in its presence.

Competition for Freedom!

"I now understand all of your ideas, Fellow Daoist. Since you have the will, I will entrust this to you. Perhaps you can introduce a new variable to this world."

As he spoke, a look of anticipation appeared in Mu Changsheng’s eyes. He had seen Progenitor Tingyou’s proposed modifications to No Heaven, and the sheer scale of the changes had shocked him. Strictly speaking, it could no longer be called No Heaven. If it succeeded, there would undoubtedly be significant benefits for him as well.

However, he still had one doubt.

"Fellow Daoist, do you have the resolve to oppose the world’s Perfected Lords at all costs? When faced with their oppression, do you have a reason to persevere?"

Mu Changsheng questioned in a grave voice.

This was the crucial point. If the person who claimed No Heaven was a weak-willed individual who didn’t dare to oppose the world’s Perfected Lords, they would not be a suitable candidate.

At the same time, a nostalgic look appeared on Progenitor Tingyou’s face.

’If it were just me, I’m afraid I wouldn’t dare...’

For no one understood the terror of a Perfected Lord better than him. At this point, he had long since lost the lofty ambitions of his youth and no longer possessed that same vibrant spirit.

’...But Lü Yang is different. That child still has the drive.’

At this moment, the reason Progenitor Tingyou sought to claim No Heaven was not for himself, but for Lü Yang, and for the new future of the Wu Ghost Sect.

Progenitor Tingyou did not care about life or death.

To live a short life to the fullest and leave the fruits of one’s labor for the next generation to inherit—this was how the Wu Ghost Sect of old had supported his own quest for Seeking Gold with all its might.

Otherwise, in a mere three hundred years, even if his Cultivation was sufficient, he could never have gathered the four Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches.

Achieving Seeking Gold in a single lifetime sounds impressive, but without the Wu Ghost Sect pouring all of the Sect’s Fortune into supporting him, Progenitor Tingyou could never have accomplished it alone.

’Now, it’s my turn.’

’With an heir like this, how can I, as the progenitor and an elder, simply stand by and do nothing?’

He had to do something.

If he had to give a reason for opposing the world’s Perfected Lords, this was it. It might not be a grand one, but for Progenitor Tingyou, it was more than enough.

The next moment, Progenitor Tingyou’s expression became resolute. He unhesitatingly grabbed the sphere of light in Mu Changsheng’s hand. In his grasp, the Ability originally named Competition for Freedom began to change. Its original name was erased, and a new one emerged:

Inheritance of the Flame